Paper boxes for mailing



Feb. 7, 1961 c. J. FLElslG PAPER BOXES FOR MAILING Filed Jan. 28, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CHARLES J. FLEISIG Amm/ey Feb. 7, `'l2-)61 c.J. FLElslG PAPER BoxEs FoR MAILING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1959INVENTOR. CHARLES J FLEISI G ATTR/VEY United States Patent'O Thisinvention relates generally to paper boxes and more particularly to newand useful improvements in a shallow sectional paper box, with thesections arranged in telescoped and nested relation.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide ashallow'sectional box of semirigid material, with the sections separablyarranged in telescoped and nested relation, suitable for mailing.

Another object of the invention ispto provide -a shallow `cardboard boxwith separable sections arranged in telescoped and nested relation andhaving integral means for detachably fastening or locking the sectionsin telescoped and nested relation.

Still another object of the invention lis to provide a shallow sectionalcardboard box that is readily set up and assembled to contain articlesof various kinds and shapes.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a shallow cardboard boxwith separable sections arranged in telescoped and nested relation, thesections having tongue and slot connections for detachably locking thesections to each other.

It is also proposed to provide a shallow sectional cardboard box that issimple in construction and that can be manufactured and sold at areasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand-accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a paper box made in accordance withthe preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged spread perspective view of the box, with thesections shown in upside-down position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3 3of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top perspective view of a paper box embodying a modifiedform of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a spread perspective View thereof, with one of the sectionsshown in upside-down position.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the box of Fig. 4 with the sections swungto open position, showing another use for the box.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane of the line8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and with particular reference toFigs. l to 3, inclusive, a box embodying one form of the invention isshown in Fig. 1 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 10.The box 10 is rectangular in configuration and cross section, withsquared-ofi corner 12 and is composed of suitable box material, such ascardboard, boxboard, semirigid plastic material and the like. The boxillustrated is formed of cardboard. The cardboard may, of course, beCorrugated. The boxes may be of any desired dimensions, and are adaptedto hold 'articles of various sizes and shapes.

The body of the box is formed of tWobox-like or traylike sections, abottom section 14 and a top section 16- as viewed in Fig. l, the topsection serving as a cover... The sections are cut from a sheet ofcardboard paper and the cut sheet slitted, creased and shaped in theusual manner.

Bottom tray-like'section `14 comprises a bottom wall 18, upstanding sidewalls 20, 20 and upstanding end walls 22, 22. The adjacent edges of theformed side and end walls are fastened together and maintained inupstanding condition by thin strips 24 of paper spanning the edges andglued to the outer surfaces of the walls.

Top tray-like section 16 comprises a top wall 26, depending side walls28, 28 and depending end walls 30, 30 and end tongue units 32, 32,extending radially of the end Walls. The adjacent end edges of the wallsmay be secured together by adhesive 34 or by a strip of papersurrounding and pasted to the outer surface of the walls. The dimensionsof the top section are 4slightly greater than the dimensions of thebottom section.

The tongue units 32 are formed on the end walls 30, 30. Eachv tongueunit comprises a protruding tongue portion 36 and a wall portion 38, the`tongue portion 36 being cut from the sheet of cardboard when the wallsof the Section were cut therefrom. The tongue portion 36 has a roundedouter end edge 40. The wall portion 38 is formed by slitting thematerial of the end wall at spaced intervals as indicated at 42, theslits extending inwardly from the bottom edge of the end wall to a pointclosely spaced inwardly therefrom. The material of the end wall isscored across at the base of the wall portion on the inside as indicatedat 44, and the material of the tongue unit is scored across at thejuncture of the wall portion 38 and the tongue portion on the outside asindicated at 46.

In assembling the box, the top section or cover 16 is telescoped overthe bottom section 14 as shown in Fig. 1, the dimensions being such thatthe side and end walls of the sect-ions have a sliding tit and the topsections rest upon the top edges of the -side and end walls.

An important feature of the present invention is means for detachablylocking or holding the sections .of thebox in telescoped or nestedrelation. In the carrying kout of the invention, an elongated slot 50 iscut in the material of bottom sect-ion 14 along the crease line 52 atthe juncture of each end wall 21 and the bottom wall 18, at the centerof the end wall. The adjacent end of the bottom wall 18 is also formedwith a semicircular opening 54, the opening intersecting andcommunicating with the slot 50, as best seen in Fig. 2. The slot 50 isslightly longer than the width of the tongue portion 36 of the coversection 16.

In using the box 10, the articles to be boxed are placed in the bottomsection 14 to the top of the upstanding walls 20 and 22. The top orcover section 16 is then slid over the bottom section 14 and contents,the dimensions of the cover section permitting this operation. Thetongue unit 32 at each end of the cover section is then bent laterallyand outwardly of its adjacent end wall, the tongue portion 36 thereofpressed inwardly toward and to the level of the bottom wall 18 of the-bottom section and through the slot 50 into the inside of the box andinto frictional contact with the bottom wall 18. The section 16 is Vthusheld securely onto the section 14 against accidental displacement.

In opening the box, the finger of the user, such as the thumb, may bepressed against the tongue portion 36 of the tongue unit, the opening 54providing clearance for the thumb for this purpose, and the tongueportion forced outwardly of the slot 50 by the thumb, against i` t .3the friction of the parts. When thetongue units aredisconnected from thelower section 14, the sections of the box may be readily pulled apart bygrasping one section in each hand and 4pulling in oppositedirectionsxwhereby the sections are completely separated. Thebottoirnedges of the depending side wallsx28 of tl1`e .cover`section16are formed with vopposed notches 56'to facilitate grasping of the sidesof the bottom section 14 for' this purpose. The modified form of boxshown in Figs. A, to 8, inclusive, ditfers fronrthe form shown inFigs. lto 3, inclusive, in that the box sections 14 and 16 are Shah lower.Furthermore, the'tongue units 3 2,-arewider and are rectangular in'shapewith the Y'freeend edges 40 of t-he tongue portions 3,6 being straightand not rounded.

By reason of the wider tongue units, however, the sections 14 and 16maybe hingedlysecured'together in end-to-end relation as shown in Fig.7, thereby pro'- viding a hinged cover 16. 'Inusing `the vsections inthis manner, one of the tongue units 32 servesias a hinge by extendingsaid tongue unit to forma prolongation of the section and by inserting`the tongue portion 36 of said extended unit through v'the slot S0'ofthe adjacent end wall 22 of the section 14', with the sectionsdisposed so that the open sides thereof open upwardly as viewed in Fig.7. Insertion of the tongue `unit 3&2 into the slot 50 as thus describedwill 'lift the adjacent end of the section 14' slightly above thelevelvof the adjacent end of section 16'. However, by simply pressingdown von the inserted tongue portion 36', the tongue unitwill vassumethe shape shown in Fig.r 8 andthesection 14 will be brought down to thelevel of the Section 16 as shown in Fig, 8. j

The other' tongue 32 of the l'cover section V16' -functions similarly tothe function of the tongue units 32 in the form of Figs. l to 3,inclusive, when the cover section 116 "is in closed position, yto-holdthe cover section in closed position. v n

The iiat smooth 'outer surface of ythe :top wall 26 'of the coversection of the 4box vfacilitates 'the' application of indicia S8, suchas the words From and 'To," to 'be printed thereon, and also facilitatesthe application'of `printed klabels and the like for lmailing purposes,if desired. 4 v

'While I have illustrated and describedthe preferred embodiments of vmyinvention, yit is tobe understood that I do not limit'rnyself' to ytheprecise constructions herein" disclosed and that various changes "andmodifications 'rna'y be made within the scope of thednvention as definedin the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

A mailable paper box comprising a shallow rectangular cardboardsectional body, the sections of the body constituting a pair oftray-like portions, one of said traylike portions constituting Aarectangular bottom section and including a bottom wall, 'upstanding sidewalls and upstanding end walls, the other tray-like' portionconstituting a top cover section and including a rectangular at top walllonger and 'wider than )said `bottom wall, depending side walls anddepending end walls, the bottom section being disposed within thel topcover section in telescopic fashion, the side and "end walls of bothsections being substantially equal in width, the end walls of saidbottom section having elongated slots extending along the junctionbetween the end walls and the bottom wall, the end ,walls of the topcover section having flexible elongated tongue units, each tongue unitincluding a ilexibIe portion of the end wall and a tongue portion4hinged thereto and forming a prolongation thereof, the hinged tongueportion insertable into vand interlockable with the slots in the bottomsection for frictionally holding the tray-like portions in telescopicfashion, the bottom wall of the bottom section having an opening at eachend thereof communicating with the adjacent slot in the end wall of saidbottomV section, whereby the iinger of the user of the box may Vpressagainst the inserted tongue portion for withdrawing the tongue portion,the tongue portions of the tongue units each having a straight free endedge, each tongue unit being scored transversely -intermediate its end,one of the tongue units being adapted to serve as a hinge for pivotallyconnecting the ends of the bottom and top sections, said one tongue unitbeing adapted to be bent to bring the top section on to a level with thebottom section, said bottom wall and said `top wall being then coplanar.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 632,222Malatesta Aug. 29, 1899 1,056,313 Yost Mar. is,y 1913 1,886,211 Mix TNov. 1, 1932 2,618,429 v1301111611 Nov. 1s, 1952 2,625,316 swrtz Isn.13, 1953 j v FOREIGN PATENTS 351,496 italy -Y Aug. 12, i937

